Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-12-23
A Slaye-Iime Christmas Eve.

When | was youth of Is my parents
sent me awsy from home to an academy.
for IN oUr town, Thorndale. shere were no
facilities offered for that education which
they desired me 10 possess and which l
was anxious 10 acquire. After nine
months had passed, however, felt less
anoitlous to shine as & Prof. knowall.
SO, two days before Christmas. 1t was
with many pleasant anticipations that
bundled up few clothes and in the gray
winter morning climbed TO the top of the
mail-coach and started for fathers plan
tstion.
Just in the cleaning l stretched my
cramped limbs in my fathers great
kitchen end toasted my feet before the
long open fireplace, while my cid slave
nurse related few tales of the blood
curdling, hair raising order, and her lit
tie barelegged, ebony urchins danced a
breakdown in the shadow, overioyed poor
creatures, to hsve "Massa Jack" back
agalp- Poor old Chloe. when saw her
sweating in the field, or Writing beneath
the oNefseer's whip, from which even l
could not save her, then was a time |
wished her free as myself.
lie next day l rode over TO Dr.. Allo.
way large mansion 10 greet the family
and to distribute few gaudilv colore5
handkerchiefs and such presents amorg
his bondsmen, who were treated with the
utmost cruelty by their master. and
whose greatest treat was q kind word or
tritiing gift from me. As passed
through the dirty quarters with the over
seer behind me, whip in baud, | almost
sickened at sight of the hasgard. sullen
fases and doggedly servllle air of those
wretches whose only crime was their
color. There was an old man bent almost
double with rheumatism, whom l had
brought-heaven save the mark!-a-red-
and yellow striped air-cushion to ease his
poor aching bones, and as he thanked
me for it III his weak, quivering voice,
could not help saying TO him:
Good God, Uncle jim, how can you
endure all this!"
1T bain't agoin' for to be long, Mass'r
Jack, bress de Lord. De Lord He de-
hbbered de chillun of Isr'el ont oh de
hands ob Pharaoh. He did, an e amt
agoIn' fer to let US suffer. He am long
time about 1t, but when he comes. it'll be
an arthquake whatll rack ebberyt'ing TO
rum. DE end am a-comin'; an it's most
here, an'-Oh, Lord! here's de oberseerr'
L hardly listened to what the old negro
said, and III short time returned home.
The evening was spent in good old
fashioned, home-hke way with a few
friends and old neighbors, who were anx-
lous to enjoy Christmas eve in the most
enjo able way. About IL O'Clock few of
my young friends and l strolled out on
the veranda to gaze at the moon. or for
some equally sensible purpose. What was
our establishment at seeing quite a blaze
northward. IN the direction and about at
the distance of DR.. Aitoway's premises
from oCr own grounds.
q say" cried Harry Blake, a young
hot blood, cold Alloway must be keeping
Christmas with the negroes. Let's go up
and see the fun"
Readily enough We al sssensed, fer a
gallop of two or three miles was nothing
to US then, and in a short time we were all
booted and flying through the frosty night
in the direction of the light.
Hush," | said, directly, as | caught a
sound on the winds. 1.-The negroes are
singing, l think. Hark! What Is it,"
Soon we caught snatch of their wild,
mellow voices fioaing and swelling in the
mounfui ra6ences of one of their popu.
lar melodies:
IN